All wind instruments, and particularly single-reed woodwind instruments, include a mouthpiece for facilitating a vibratory response which is the origin of the instrument's sound. In single-reed woodwind instruments, a cane-type reed vibrates in response to a moving stream of air. It is known that the nature of the mouthpiece significantly affects the quality of the sound produced by the instrument, as well as determining its playability.
Mouthpieces are commonly constructed from a variety of materials, e.g., rubber and plastic. These materials tend to dampen vibration of the reed, thereby causing a dull non-projecting sound. Mouthpieces made completely of metal are too bright and difficult to control. Rubber mouthpieces molded about a thin metal core are difficult to manufacture, and display inferior acoustic properties.
To satisfactorily modulate the sound quality of an instrument with a currently available mouthpiece, and to reach the extreme portions of the instrument's tonal register, strenuous control of a musician's embouchure is required. Thus, to the extent that the musician must work hard while playing, he or she is distracted from the goal of creative expression. An instrument with improved playability reduces the effort a player must exert to obtain a desired sound.
In the case of a single-reed woodwind instrument such as a saxophone or clarinet, playability is determined by an interaction between a reed and a ligature which secures the reed to the mouthpiece. Although there are many ligatures that are intended to maximize the vibratory response of the reed, they are commonly constructed of rigid or dampening materials, such as metal or plastic, that hinder free vibration of the reed. In known mouthpieces where elastomeric bands are used to hold a reed in place, consistent, optimal and stable placement of the reed and ligature is difficult to achieve.
Optimal reed placement is important for obtaining a satisfactory sound from a woodwind instrument. For beginning students of the saxophone and clarinet, reed placement is commonly difficult to master. Lateral reed shift, experienced when placing or tightening a ligature, can cause off-tones and even damage the reed. The ability to affect quick reed placement without lateral readjustment is needed to reduce missed time during performances, as well as to avoid other frustrations encountered during reed placement. There are devices that aid reed placement, but they tend to be bulky, thereby reducing the overall effectiveness of the mouthpiece. Others offer solely visual guidance and do not physically restrict lateral reed shift.